Ryan Borgwardt, a kayaker from Watertown, Wisconsin, USA, shocked the world in August 2023 when he disappeared while kayaking on a lake. Initially, authorities presumed that he drowned. But the truth was far more shocking: Ryan had planned everything. He staged his own death to escape his wife and three children, choosing to disappear and start a new life abroad.
A Shocking Revelation
After more than three months of being missing, Ryan finally contacted the U.S. authorities on November 11. He confirmed that he was not dead. The police held a press conference to announce this revelation, showing a video of Ryan speaking with them via video call.
At the time, Ryan was in Eastern Europe, safe and sound in his apartment. He wore an orange T-shirt during the call. The sheriff at the press conference stated, “The good news is, we know he’s alive and well.” However, he added, “The bad news is, we don’t know exactly where he is, and he hasn’t decided to return home.” 
Ryan explained his actions during the video call. He said he had left to solve personal problems. “I just wanted to make things better,” Ryan mentioned.
How Did He Disappear?
The police were curious about how Ryan managed to disappear and what he had been doing for the past three months. Ryan gave them an explanation.
On the day he faked his death, Ryan drove approximately 80 kilometers from his home in Watertown to Green Lake, Wisconsin. This was the location where he staged his “accident.” He capsized his kayak, threw his phone into the water, and made it appear as though he had drowned. He then used an inflatable boat to row to the shore.
Ryan chose Green Lake because it is the deepest lake in Wisconsin, with a depth of over 72 meters. That night, before 11 p.m., he sent a text message to his wife saying he had finished kayaking and was heading back to shore. After that, he disappeared.
A High-Speed Escape
After leaving the lake, Ryan embarked on an intense journey. He rode an electric bike for 110 kilometers, reaching Madison, Wisconsin. From there, he took a bus to Detroit, then another bus to Canada. Finally, he flew abroad to start his new life.
A Tragic Farce
This elaborate ruse not only caused his family considerable distress but also led to a massive search effort by the police. Initially, the authorities believed Ryan had drowned and searched for him for over 50 days, spending at least $35,000.
The police found Ryan’s car and trailer near the lake and also discovered a capsized kayak in the lake, 60 meters deep. They even deployed divers to search for his body.
During his phone call with the police, Ryan expressed surprise at the length of the search, admitting he had thought it would last only two weeks.
A Shocking Discovery
In early October, U.S. authorities received new information. They learned that Canadian authorities had entered Ryan’s name into a database the day after his disappearance. Further investigation revealed that Ryan had reported his passport as lost or stolen and had received a new one in May.
Based on this information, the U.S. authorities began to suspect that Ryan had staged his death. They investigated his laptop and found traces of his plans to escape to Europe. The laptop’s hard drive had been replaced on the day of his disappearance, and his browser history had been cleared.
The authorities discovered passport photos, inquiries about transferring money to foreign banks, and communication records with a woman. Additionally, there was a life insurance policy he had purchased in January, worth $375,000. However, the beneficiary of the policy was his family, not Ryan himself.
The Mystery Woman
Piecing together the evidence, the police believed that Ryan had planned to escape from his family and run off with a woman. Although the police have not released much information about her, they confirmed that she was from Uzbekistan and had been in contact with Ryan.
The police eventually managed to reach Ryan through a Russian-speaking woman who had helped them. It was unclear whether she was the same woman from Uzbekistan, but she played a crucial role in reconnecting them with Ryan.
No Charges… Yet
After the police went through great lengths to locate him, they were finally able to confirm that Ryan was safe and living abroad. While the police hinted that Ryan could face charges for obstructing a missing person investigation, no charges had been filed against him as of yet.
Ryan remains unwilling to return home, and the police are powerless to force him, as it is entirely his choice. The authorities are now trying to appeal to his emotions, urging him to come back home and spend Christmas with his children.
“He thought his plan would succeed, but it didn’t work out as he hoped,” said the sheriff. “Now we’re trying to give him a different plan to encourage him to return home.”
The police continue to try to persuade Ryan to come back. It remains to be seen if their efforts will succeed. After all, avoiding the problem will not solve it. Ryan will eventually need to provide an explanation to his family and the authorities.
